exhort one another whiles it is called to day lest any of you be hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sin Brotherly exhortation is a remedy against Apostasie of heart for though a man cannot convince another yet he may exhort him and 't is to be done in season whiles it 's called to day with due respect and taking notice of what good there is with much wisdome and a spirit of humility or else thou spoilest all thou medlest withall putting your selves in their estate and with hearty unfeigned prayer that the Lord would accompany the same with his blessing Heb. 10. 24. Consider one another to provoke unto love and good works Look over the Congregation and consider such a Brothers or Sisters estate one is poor and low another falling another very much altered Now in some cases a private Brother may do more than a Minister the Lord help us and stir us up to this work Now when this is neglected many soules are hardned 4. Instructing and teaching one another as occasion serves Rom. 15. 14. And I my self also am perswaded of you my brethren that you also are full of goodnesse filled with all knowledge able to admonish one another They were able for to instruct and teach one another Isa. 54. 13. They shall be all taught of God What God teacheth thee that do thou teach others what thou gainest by hearing or by praying or meditation by putting questions to others sometimes to teach and sometimes to be taught and this do if possible in all occasionall meetings and worldly discourses mix with it some sweet truth that God hath taught thee But now on the other side when Christians shall meet and a 〈◊〉 is the worse for their fruitlesse discourse no savoâ—â— of any thing of God Let them meet never so long or oâ—â—en walking or sitting this is sad 5. In Comforting those that be sad Thes. 5. 14. and 4. ult Comfort the feeble-minded and support the weak wherefore comfort one another with these woâ—â—s There are many sad hearts in Gods Church and sad things are as wounds to a mans limbs that make him halt or fall Oh brethren be much in this work 2 Cor. 1. 4. Who comforteth us in all our tribulation that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we our selves are comforted of God That a soul may say such a one came to me and spake some few words to me but they were as seasonable as though the Lord had sent an Angel from heaven to speak to me and of more worth than if he had given me â—any pounds But now when this also is neglected that one Christian hath not a word of encouragement to another but dry and savourless discourse this the Lord takes very ill at the hands of his people that have received comfort from himself in the day of their sorrow and distresse 6. Restoring a Brother fallen with a spirit of meekness Gal. 6. 1 2. Brethren of any be overtaken with a fault ye which are sprituall restore such a one with a spirit of meeknesse Oh how will a poor soul blesse the for such a Brothers prayers admonitions and exhortations when the Lord shall have brought his heart back again to himself although before he did most of all disesteem and vilâ—fie him Now when these are not used or not with a spirit of meeknesse improved that a man never blesseth God for these the Lord Jesus is pulled down from his throne when not done according to the ability time and place that the Lord affords And this I wish the Churches mourn not for another day For my own part I do adjudge my self before God and men as most guilty of this that I enjoy many sweet Ordinances and we improve them not and hence the glory of the Lord fils not his Tabernacle abides not on his Churches either to draw others to them or to make others abundantly blesse God for them Now here I will shew you the causes of this 1. Not gaining much in private duties in Prayer Meditation Reading and daily Examination of a mans own heart And hence they cannot do good because they receive none or very little themselves they have not a treasure within hence they can spend little have no heart or ability to exhort instruct comfort He that keeps not his shop his shop will never keep him As Psal 41. 6. His heart gathereth iniquity to it self when he goeth abroad he telleth it 2. A low spirit which makes a man to have low thoughts and endeavours I mean not an humble but a narrow spirit not inlarged to hold much or to do much hence it doth little As take a plain Countrey-man he neither seeks or regards the affaires of the State in publick because his spirit and condition is low but Princes do mind and attend to the affaires of the Kingdome to advance it because their condition is high and they know it Moses he suffered reproach with the people of God losse of all the honour and pleasure of Pharaâ—hs out feared not Pharaoh nor losse of life for their sakes For he saw that God which is invisible like Saul when once a Ringdome comes to be in his eye he leaves off to seek the Asses 3. Sloth There are Thornes Prov. 15. 19. and Lions Prov. 26. 13. in a sluggards way There be many difficulties businesses occasions and objections when as if once he were resolved to break thorough them then the work would go on Like a man when he is in his warm bed he is loth to rise but when he is up he would not be in his bed again if he might be hired again to put off his clothes I shall get no good saith one nor do none saith another and when these businesses are past and occasions over and at another time I will seek God and go about Gods work and thus a slothfull spirit hinders 4. Want of Faith 2 Cor. 4. 13. We believe and hence we speak Faith empties us most and hence fils us with Spirit and Life of Christ Jesus hence Steven full of faith and the holy Ghost A lively Christian when he comes in another Christians company it may be he knows not what to speak but he looks up to Christ and sayes Now Lord here is an opportunity in doing or receiving some good and therefore now Lord help 5. Want of fear of God and consolation of the spirit of God from the sense of Gods love Acts 9. 31. They walâ—â—◠〈◊〉 the fear of the Lord and consolations of thâ— Holy Ghost the Church was edified by the consolations of the Holy Ghost A man that 's wounded keeps within and stirs not but when he is in health and strength now hard work is his meat he cannot live except he work 1 Cor. 15. ult 6. Not considering the shortnesse of our time of sowing Heb. 10. 25. Whereas if men were on their death-bed they would wish Oh that I had walked more
finished usually on Saturday by two of the clock He hath someâ—ime exprest himself thus in publick God will curse that mans labours that lumbers up and down in the world all the week and then upon Saturday in the afternoon goes to his Study when as God knows that time were little enough to pray and weep in and to get his heart in frame c. He affected plainnesse together with power in preaching not seeking abstrusities nor liking to hover and soar aloft in dark expressions and so shoot his Arrows as many Preachers do over the heads of his hearers It is a wretched stumbling block to some that his Sermons are somewhat strict and as they term it legall some souls can relish none but meal-mouth'd Preachers who come with soft and smooth and toothlesse words byssina verba byssinis viris But these times need humbling Ministeries and blessed be God that there are any for where there are no Law-Sermons there will be few Gospel-lives and were there more Law-preaching in England by the men of gifts there would be more Gospel-walking both by themselves and the People To preach the Law not in a forc'd affected manner but wisely and powerfully together with the Gospel as Christ himself was wont to do Mat. 5. and elsewhere is the way to carry on all three together sense of misery the application of the remedy and the returns of thankefulnesse and duty Nor is any doctrine more comforting than this humbling way of God if rightly managed It is certain the foundations of after-â—orrows and ruines to the Church have ever been laid in the days of her prosperity and peace and rest when she injoyes all her pleasant things This the watchmen of Israel should foresee and therefore what shoulâ— they do but seek to humble and awaken and search and melt mens hearts and warn every one night and day with tears that in the day of their peace they may not sin away the things of their Peace There are therefore three requests which we would desire to beg of God with bended knees for England to prepetuate the present prosperity and peace thereof and let us commend them to the mourning and praying ones amongst us that they would be the Lords remembrancers in these Petitions 1. A right understanding and sober use of liberty For when People come first out of bondage they are apt to be not only somewhat fond of their liberties but to wax giddy and wanton with liberty and instead of shaking off the blâ—ody yokes of men to cast off at least in part the Government and blessed yoke of Christ also Hence it â—oâ—es about that a day of rest from persecution which should be a day of liberty to the Saints to serve God may become a day of great seduction and of liberty to seducing Spirits to deceive and damn and mislead them from the truths and wayes of God But the machinâ—tions of men though in conjunction with the powers and gates of hell shall certainly fall at last before Truth and Prayer And of this is the first Treatise which is seasonably publish'd To be fast bound to the rule with all the bonds and cords of God and Man is the Perfection of liberty Hence there is not a surer Corner-stone of ruine to a Christian Commonwealth that God will break them with unparallell'd destructions by some overflowing scourge when the day of vengeance is in his heart than to think that Religion is none of their Liberties and yet how many sons of Belial are there void of counsell neither is there any understanding in them who imagine vain things and say Let us break his bands asunder and cast away his cordâ— from us How do men run into extremes either stretching and paring every one to the Gyants bed and thereby denying liberty to the Saints to serve him according to the measure of their stature in Christ or else on the other hand opening the door so wide as to plead for liberty to all the disguised enemies and sins against Christ thereby instead of uniting the Saints in one indeavouring though a dreadfull mistake to unite Christ and Belial It is a sad thing when a man is come to this passe that he is not able to resolve his conscience whether Baal be God or the Lord be God and therefore would not have the worshippers of Baal punisht for fear lest Baal should be God Is liberty nothing but indifferency and irresolution of spirit in the things of God wo to the valley of vision even to a sinfull Nation laden with iniquity and led away from the truth as it is in Jesus and to the Host of the high ones that sit on high in the day of his visitation if this be the spirit of these times for in the day when he visits God will visit for these things 2. That his Word especially the Word of his Gospel may be precious and powerfull may run and be glorified in England Alas as there is much preaching but few serious few heart-breaking Sermons so there is much hearing but little effectual hearing Men stand like the Oakes of Bashan before the words of the God of Israel no terrour of the Lord no news of everlasting destruction no evidence of the fierce anger of God upon them which burns down to the bottom of hell can take hold upon their spirits or awaken their consciences to make inquiries after God in this their day yea if the bars of the pit of hel were broken and if the devils of hell should come flying up amongst us in our solemn Assemblies from the fiery corners of the Pit helow with everlasting burnings about their eares and with chains of darkness ratling at their heels they might fright men out of their wits perhaps or from the acts of sin it may be for a time but it would not work upon their hearts their desperate dead besotted hearts The fooles in Israel will have their swinge in their lusts and go to hell in a full cariere let God do his best Oh the hardnesse of mens hearts And the main reason of it is because they hear but a sound of words but they do not hear the Lord in that Word they hear words that are spoken by God but they hear not they see not God himself therein If ever thou wouldest profit by reading or hearing take every word as a speciall message to thee from God and of this fruitless hearing and the rules of hearing aright is the other Treatise 3. Conscience of his Sabbaths Of which there is an elaborate discourse of this Author formerly publish'd by himself Therefore we shall adde no more The blessing of heaven go with these to make us a willing People in the day of his power to submit to his Word and to come under the wing of the Government of Iesus Christ as esteeming these spirituall mercies our best mercies our choycest and dearest liberties If ever the Lord Iesus which mercy forbid should take his
it Psal. 18. 22. saith David I have kept the wayes of the Lord and have not wickedly departed from my God and though it hath had many quarrellings against the truth of God yet now it hath not nor dares not but sayes Lord teach me the Lord gives them hearts to lye down at the feet of any man that shall shew them any thing that is amisse in them and they say with David Lord search me and try me I have many crooked wayes and therefore good Lord find them out and therefore come to the Lord for that end and though there be something in them that is desperately contrary to the good wil of God yet there is an inward man that does delight in the law of God and when the Lord is pleased to give them an heart to submit to the will of God Oh the soul doth wonder at the Lord that the Lord should shew him any thing and help him against temptations and though there be a great deal of wearinesse in the wayes of God yet there is a spirit within him that it is indeed heaven it self to him to be in the ordinances of God now ye stoop to the directing will of Christ when this is thy way though thou goest oft out of it yet comest in it again as sin is a wicked mans way although he goeth a thousand times out of it Now for the other the correcting will of Christ The L. hath strong trials Now here subjection to Christ is required as well as to the directing will of Christ then the soul submits to this will when the mind objects not charges not God with folly as Eli 1 Sam. 3. 18. It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good And likewise the will though it hath had many sad bouts yet this is his frame in the Conclusion that the wil of Christ is better than every thing else the wil of Christ is alone sweet to him Isa. 38. saith Hezekiah Good is the wil of the Lord so Lam. 3. It 's good for a man to bear the yoke in his youth and to turn his cheeks to him that smites him Nay when there is spiritual evils on the soul as was on Christ himself spiritual desertions nothing but bitterness sorrow yet the soul saith as Christ did Not my will but thine be done Father save me from this hour yet Father glorifie thy self and so the soul does humbly submit it self to the Lord though the Lord should never pitty it yet it will lye down at the feet of the Lord now is Gods Kingdome come But if the soul wil have Christ and yet cast off the wil of Christ 1. Either in his judgement that the law of God as given by Christ should be no rule to a Christian suppose you were in England and were there prest to bow before an Altar or Image what shall lead you if that Gods will and law must not be your rule The Lord will one day make you know his blessed will in that blessed law of his that ye shall never find peace to the end of the world except the Lord do help ye thus to walk Again when men cannot endure the wil of Christ cannot eÌ„dure exhoâ—tations what doth the man mean to exhort us thus I tell thee there goeth forth power with the exhortaâ—ions of Christ. I say take heed of casting off the will of Christ here and so when men in their practice shall quarrel against any of Gods truths and are loath to see it or if they do yet not love dearly every truth of God but it 's a burden to them especially if it crosse their own ends and gain they will not see it to be a truth lest they should be convinced and turn ro the rule of it if the will and ordinances of Christ be a burden to a man and a man is not weary of his wearinesse but weary of them all the while Art thou under the government of Christ If a man forsaken of God led by his own counsels be under the Kingdom of Christ then thou art so long as there is credit for the truth so long it is entertained but now suppose it be costly rhat it should bring beggery affliction with it is it now sweet to you doth this support thy heart I am in Gods way canst lye dowu and subscribe to the equity of Christs proceedings with thee though he should never shew favour to thee if it be not thus I dare not say thou art under the Kingdome of Christ. And so for the correcting wil of Christ many sad afflictions the Lord tries thee withall the Lord tries men marvellously when thou art under the hand of the Lord those very things that should make men cry to heaven and wean thee from the world those very things do harden thee and make thee grudge repine The L. be merciful to thee if this be thy frame the Kingdom of Christ never came into that heart you are begging for mercy the Lord sayes you mercy you have abused it no saith the Lord Go to your lust that have despised the day of grace so now you cast off the Lord because the Lord will not give you mercy when you would have it Will you now quarrel with the Lord no down proud heart pray still and mourn still and turn to the Lord and say Lord do with me what thou wilt I am clay in thine hand thou may'st make me a vessell of dishonour I deserve not the least bit of bread such a one as is above the Lord and his will is not under the Lord therefore submit thy self to the good will of Christ. 3. When the soul doth thus submit to the wil of Christ by vertue of the power and Spirit of Christ i.e. when the soul doth not submit by vertue of its own power strength or ability for this is forreign power But as it doth seek to submit to the will of Christ so it would have Christ himself act it and rule it and so inable it to submit there unto Now is the Kingdome of God come neer to that heart And herein Christs Kingdom is different from Princes they give laws that men may keep them by their â—wn might hence they command no impossible things but the will of Christ is so crosse to a carnal hearâ— that 't is impossible man of himself should submit to it But the Lord doth it for this end that the soul should then come to Christ in its need that he would do all the good pleasure of his will and now the Lord himself reigns and that gloriously Ro. 8. 1 2. For the law of the Spirit of life which is in Christ Iesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death Acts 5 31. A Prince an Saviour for to give repentance and remission of sins It is part of his Princely power for to give remission of sins both in turning from sin and to God and all the wayes
of God and now you exalt him when he is thus set up 1 Cor. 4. 20. The Kingdome of God is not in word but in power The power of Christ Jesus is come into thy soul and the soul is under the Kingdome of the Lord Jesus when it doth lye under the mighty power of the Lord Jesus Christ 2 Thess. 1 11 12. We pray always for you that the Lord would work and fulfill the good pleasure of his will and the work of faith in power that Christ may be glorified Yea then is Christ glorified when God omnipotent reigns over sin and unbelief when the Lord doth this not only the Kingdome of God is now come but the Kingdome of Christ in glory is come there is many a poor soul thinks Christ rules him not because he cannot do this nor that because he finds his heart unable unwilling for to submit to the will of Christ I find no strength at all saith the soul and I go to Christ and find not strength conveyed and now he thinks he is not under the Kingdom of Christ. I answer that is not the question but hath the Lord made thee willing in the day of his power when the soul doth lye under the power of the Lord Jesus Christ when the soul doth lye like wax before the Lord Jesus when the soul saith Lord there was never any change of my nature the good Lord change it and if there be any change the good Lord increase and stir up the graces of thy Spirit in my soul and do thou lead me and guide me Brethren the Kingdome of Christ is come to this soul Iohn 5. 40. You will not come to me for life He doth not say you do not quicken your selves or ye cannot come to me but will not here is their wound they will not come to Christ for life Rom. 6. 19. As yee have yeelded your members servaâ—â—s to sin and Satan so now yeeld up your selves servants to righteousnesse and to holinesse Psal. 119. 5 6. Thou hast commanded that we should keep thy precepts continually Oh that my heart were directed to keep thy precepts continually Oh that my heart were directed to keep thy statutes When a Christian is grapling with his own heart ye will never be able to overcome the unsubduednesse thereof but when ye bring them to the Lord Jesus Christ that he would take a course with them 1. Now ye please Christ. 2. Ye take a sure course to have the will of God done he being in office for that end for Him hath God exalted to be a Prince and Saviour to Israel When the soul doth look up to the Lord Jesus and lye under the power and Spirit of the Lord Jesus 3. You now make the yoke of Christ sweet and his name glorious nothing glorifies Christ so much as this when Jesus doth work in a Christian now the kingdome of Christ is come to the soul and that in power But now when men will not submit thus far to Christ 1. They can do nothing but will not come to him on whom God hath laid salvation you say you cannot understand nor edifie by the Sermons ye hear and you cannot part with your lusts Ay but now this is thy condemnation thou wilt not go to a Saviour that he may teach thee and help thee when men will not have the Lord Jesus to reign over them or 2. If men do come they will not come to him where he may be found but say I can do nothing Christ must do all and so neglect the means wherein he will be found or 3. Will submit and come in means to him but not then at the speciall time when He is to be sought and may be found viz. in time of temptation But then forget and forsake him and cry not Hosanna Lord now save now help me against this lust When temptation comes when passion and pride come do you now go to Jesus Christ When the world begins to draw thy heart away dost thou say thus Lord I have prayed this day against this sin and Lord I have no strength against it now Lord help me but here is the misery of the soul it doth not go to Christ and by this means live in complaints all their life-time 4. If lastly any thing be to be done they will do it themselves as Paul Gal. 1. 12. Not but that a Christian should put forth himself a Christian is not a dead-hearted Christian at all times but the grace of God which comes from Christ doth act the soul in a continuall dependance on Christ and where Christ acts not there Satan doth Now I say the Kingdome of God is come when the soul doth thus submit to the stream of the blesâ—ed Spirit of the Lord that the Lord may guide it Oh beloved here is the skill that poseth the Angels how to tell you so to yield your selves to Christ as that Christ may come so to abide in the stock that all your fruit may be from him So to lye under the Lord as that the stream of the Spirit of life may fall on thee so to be implanted in the Lord as to fetch life from him and bring forth fruit to him But try this course submit to the will of the Lord Jesus be nothing in thy own eyes and if the Lord do give thee any thing blesse the Lord for it if any strength against thy sin be vile in thy own eyes and try and see if ye find not the Kingdome of God the glory of Heaven come into thy soul. Oh the light life prayers you might have the heavenly conference ye will have together that it would do a mans heart good to be with such a Christian that those that are with you might say Verily God is in this man verily there is joy in heaven when the Saints keep in this frame 4. When the soul yields thus to the will of Christ for Christs ends for such is the subtill wretchednesse of mens hearts that men would have Christ glorifie himself that he may glorifie and honour them like Simon Magus that would give any money for Apostolicall gifts that he might be some body that way also Now if a man shall submit go to Christ for gifts and parts that 's to set up another King to advance a mans self and so also sin and the devill and Christ must be made a servant for this end He is now no King like a Rebell that is not content that thousands of the Kings Subjects should serve him but he will have the Prince serve him a so Every man will say this doth utterly overthrow the Kingdom of such a Prince When a man shall secretly fight against the Lord and be for himself and for the devil and sin within When a man shall make all the creatures serve him the souldiers of his army meat drink and outward comforts this is a marvellous thing Ay but when a man shall make Jesus Christ
it Ye say that the Table of the Lord is contemptible the meaning is you do despise my Table and Ordinances and so now do despise me too and so ye do vilifie and contemne the Ordinances of the Lord Therefore saith the Lord in the conclusion of that Chapter vers 11. From the rising of the Sun my name it shall be known As if he should say I am uot bound to you I can have a people among whom my name shall be great For saith the Lord I am a great King If one should have asked men in those dayes what good is in your sacrifices what great glory can ye see in them the Saints can see a great deal of glory in mean outsides Now when this is wanting the name of the Lord is polluted and so the Lord driven from his Ordinances Heb. 12. 15. Take heed lest there be in any of you an evil root of bitternesse springing up and many thereby be defiled When men do live in secret lusts or open proâ—nenesâ—e a man that hath a profane heart such a heart as doth contemne the portion of mercy the Lord doth offer to him who like Esau did sell his birth-right for a mâ—sse of pottage Secondly Unbrokennesse of heart in the enjoyment of Ordinances when men live not in a daily sense of the extreme need they stand in of mercy Isa. 66. 1. 2. Heaven is my throne and the Earth is my foot-stool Now observe what the Lord doth there speak To him will I look that is poor in spirit contrite such a poor soul saith the Lord will I look to and to these are opposed such as have not such hearts but do look only to the Ordinances of the Lord Now saith the Lord to such He that offereth a lamb is as if he cut off a dogs neck and he that offereth incense as he that blesseth an Idol These were a people that did plead for the Temple of the Lord and had the Ordinances of the Lord according to his command but here was their wound they were not broken under the Ordinances of the Lord This you shall find the Saints have many sins and wants under the Ordinances of the Lord but little does the world know their gronings before the Lord and the Lord hath mercy for such soules as are sensible of their need they stand in of the Ordinances of the Lord. But now when men have found the Lord in an Ordinance subduing some particular sin there are other sins remaining in their hearts and they stand unremoveable in their hearts and hence are the strongest and dearest of all the rest Now I say when men having these sins and knowing these sins in their hearts and spirits when as because I cannot subdue these sins and they have attended on the Lord in the use of meanes and the Lord helps them not and because they hope to be saved at last for all these Hence they come to a truce with their sin and never go mourning to the Lord nor say the Lord hath begun to subdue some of these lusts Now Lord go on but the soul is at truce with his sâ—nnes Beloved if there be any pollution of the Ordinances of the Lord here it is that men come with unbroken hearts to the Ordinances of the Lord that never feel your need of them wounds and sores that are in your hearts that men do stand with those very sins that they think they cannot subdue and because they cannot ease themselves of them therefore they give way to them When men keep these sins with unsensible hearts of them ye do resist the holy Ghost ye feel not your need of the Lord therefore ye keep your sins and your woes you shall have for them Thirdly Where there is a spirit of unbelief that there is not a seeking to Christ Jesus to wash away the pollutions of his heart and life in his attending upon the Lord in his Ordinances Tit. 1. 15. To the unbelieving nothing is pure but even their mind and conscience is defiled Exod. 30. 29. It is said Every thing that touched the Altar was clean and hence without this all is unclean When a poor soul shall come to the Lords Ordinances and prepare himself before he come and in all it hath many weaknesses yet it doth leave it self with Jesus Christ every thing that doth touch this Altar is sanctified and is not polluted But now when men shall enjoy Ordinances and make no great matter of sins in Ordinances especially if secret such is the venemous nature of sin it doth defile the earth a man doth tread on Now when men shall have these sins and know them and yet never leave themselves with Christ and lay themselves on this blessed Altar by faith they do pollute the Ordinances of the Lord Fourthly When the soul doth not so openly manifestly drive away the Lord but when men shall â—ome to the Ordinances and never come to the Lord Jesus in them now the Lord is cast off A great Prince that comes to a mans house though he be not driven out of doors yet if not attended on he accounts himself cast off The Lord Jesus Christ is in his Ordinances Ezek. 48. 35. The Lord is there the Saints they come to God in them and are carried to him by them Therefore 't is said Acts 10. 33 34. Now therefore we are all present before God to hear all things that are commanded thee of God and Psal. 84. 7. Every one of them in Sion appeareth before God Now the Saints and people of God when they do thus come to the Lord they find many difficulties to break through a vally of Baca. Sometimes their heart is turned from the Lord and sometimes God is turned from them so that now the Saints when they do come to the Lord in his Ordinances They go through the vallie of Baca that they may see God in Sion But now when men do never break through difficulties but give way to a sluggish heart when it is thus with a people it is certain the Lord is now cast off and ye do as good now as live without Christ in the world Amos 5. 21. faith the Lord I hate your new Moons and Sabbaths For these forty years ye never sacrificed to me vers 25. Did they not sacrifice those forty years to the Lord in the wildernesse It was the very thing they came out of Egypt for that they might sacrifice to the Lord Yet saith the Lord ye did not sacrifice to me truly here was the thing they did sacrifice but to enjoy communion with a God that they did not the Lord he saw none of that and this is the frame of many a man ye never heard a Sermon ye never broke through your difficulties to come to a God in Ordinances therefore in truth though you had them yet it is as if you never had them because ye never did enjoy the Lord in them Therefore this is that I would
things are known For the clearing up of this know that there is a three-fold derivative power which the Lord hath given to the Church joyntly and not to Elders only Which may be miserably abused and so provoke the Lord to take it away from their hands till they know better how to use it yet when 't is used according to Christ now not to be under the power of it which is Christ power delegated to it is to cast off Christs Government And I am confident the bondage of all the Churches in Christendome if ye examine the Churches is continued because the Lord sees hearts unwilling to submit to him in the government of Churches and will continue it till Churches know how to use it and men lye down to the power of it 1. They have a power given them from Christ of opening and shutting the doors of the Church the Kingdome of God on earth i. e. of letting in and keeping out any according to Christ into or out of their communion and this I conceive to be one part of the power of the Keys committed to the Church The chief office of which is to open and shut to receive in and keep out according to Christ and hence the three thousand were added to the Church though the Apostles were guides therein and Acts 9. 26. Paul would have joyned himself but they would not accept of him because they were afraid of him No body naturall or politick but they have power to receive to them the usefull keep from them the hurtfull so much more Christs spirituall body And hence the Church of Ephesus is commended Revel 2. 2. together with their Angel for trying those that seemed good and were not Now 't is true this power may be miserably abused in opening doores too wide or locking them up too long or too fast and in many sad disorders this way yet there is this power Now when men shall refuse Church-tryall and so communion with the Church and that not from sense of their unfitnesse and unworthinesse or some other reason which is in the fight of God of great weight but from a carelesse contempt of Gods Ordinances or Gods people a man sayes What care I for the one and what are the other and from a resolution never to grow better they know they are not like to be accepted of them and they are resolved they will grow no better they think themselves as good as they and from a secret unwillingnesse to come to the light they know things are amisse and will not be known of it they appear better than they are and hence they are loath to be seen and jodged as they are Certainly this is to casts Christs power and if continued in the salvation of your soules is also cast off Acts 2. ult The Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saved To the Church i. e. not the universal Church but visible Church where it may be had such as should be saved Isa. 60. 14 15. For the Nation and Kingdome that will not serve thee shall perish yea those Nations shall utterly perish Lamentable is the condition of many not so much for not joyning themselves to the Church as not seeking of the Lord for that mercy that they may be first joyned to the Lord and so to his people for the Lords sake There are great heaps of people amongst the Churches here that do stand guilty of this the Lord humble us for it that content themselves to stand Aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel Eph. 2. 12. Strangers from the Covenant of Promise having no hope and without God in the world The Lord is slow to wrath but there is a threefold bondage 1. Of sin and Satan Rev. 22. 14 15. Let him that is filthy be filthy still Nay though there be some beginnings yet apt to fall back because not planted in the courts of the Lord. And hence Col. 2. 5. Ioying and beholding your order and the sted fastnesse of your faith in Christ order and stedfastnesse are joyned together 2. Of misery Zach. 14. 17. And it shall be that whosoever will not come up of all the families of the Earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King the Lord of Hosts even upon them shall be no rain 3. Sadnesse hence Isa. 56. 7. Even them I will bring to my holy Mountain and make them joyfull in my House of Prayer To be joyfull in the house of Prayer is promised to such as joyn themselves to Gods Covenant 2. They have a power given them of binding and loosing By admonition of any one that being received in shall sin against their communion and the Lord in it thereby to defile the whole body and to provoke the wrath of the Lord against the same and this is mentioned Matth. 18. and by the Apostle 1 Cor. 5. 1 4. and this is given to them to use against whatever sinner or offender it be be he great or small Prince or Peer if he be a brother he is to lye down here An admonition is an arrest and message from God from Christ Jesus the King of Kings Eglon must come down from his throne when this is brought Now I grant again this power may be abused miserably as to admonish without conviction or without compassion and love but in heat and passion c. Yet this is part of Christs binding power in his Church which when 't is done 't is bound in heaven Now when men come to that passe that they do not only sin for that the Lord pardons but are grown to that height that they cast off all reproofs and Christ-like admonitions for sin steept it may be in many tears and prayers before they came and sweetned with the Spirit of mercy and terror of Christ Jesus in the mouths of his servants this brings under bondage 'T is not sin so much for this will be but when they cannot abide reproofs they are iron morsels cannot be digested and hence sometime hide it and twenty shifts and half as many lies or if it be found out defend it and fall a fencing and thrusting and try it out to the last or extenuate it twenty wayes that a beam is a more and which is worse their hearts rise and swell and they bear a privy grudge against them as if they were their enemies because they tell them the truth when they should say Let the righteous smite me Exod. 2. 14. Who made thee a Prince and Iudge over us When Moses the Israelites deliverer was raised up he thereupon departs and they lye under heavy bondage when they cast off his reproof It 's true a Saint may not for a time submit but yet it argues a height of spirit for the present unfit for communion with God and the Lord will bring them off and humble them for their pride 2 Sam. 23. 6. 〈◊〉 But the sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns 〈…〉 cause they cannot be taken
shal grace reign unto eternall life Rom. 5. 21. He will bestow on you the sure mercies of David by an everlasting Covenant Isa. 55. 5. Quest. But wherein should I submit to the Lord Answ. None have power to rule conscience but Christ give him therefore this glory that wherein he bindes conscience conscience not out of fear but love may indeed submit I have instanced the particulars formerly yet more distinctly There be two great commands or charges of Christ that lye upon all mens consciences to whom the Gospell comes and therein lyes our service of him generally Which two I name because there we think we are free or do not know our liberty First The command of Christ is that every one to whom the Gospell comes and is preached do believe i. e. receive Christ Jesus in all his fulnesse in the Gospel Iohn 1. 12. For that is to believe in which command lies Gods offer 1 Iohn 5. 23. This is his commandment that ye believe John 6. 25 37 38. This is the work of God that ye believe Now here men think they are free 1. They say they are unworthy and hence they say Depart from me Lord I am a sinfull man as if Gods grace was built on mans worthinesse 2. Because unhumbled whereas Gods grace calls in men unhumbled Rev. 8. 17 18. For Gods call and offer is generall though none but the humble will hearken to it But there are none but it may be said to them If they can believe let them 3. Because Christ is not theirs are they bound to believe he is Whereas the first act of faith is not to believe Christ is mine then men were bound to believe a lie But to receive Christ as a woman her husband that he may be mine by saith and so a man may know and say he is mine The Gospell doth no where say to any man Christ is thine but if thou receive him he is thine and consequently the Spirit speaks so also 4. Because they cannot believe unlesse they should presume as if the Gospell bound the conscience of none to believe but them that were able to believe it and receive Christ in it yet 't is otherwise for it binds all to receive Christ Jesus to go up and possesse him to feed eat 〈◊〉 and live for ever And I will leave this one 〈◊〉 argument If men are liable to eternall conâ—â—â—mation at the great and last day and to bear the 〈◊〉 wrath of God and Christ also for disobeying the Gospell for refusing Christ and the offer of his grace therein Then those mens consciences are bound to obey the Gospell i. e. to believe and receive Christ now in this life But all that have the Gospell preached to them are liable to eternall condemnation for disobedience to it Iohn 3. 18 19. Psal. 2. 12. Kisse the Son lest he be angâ—y So. 2 Thes. 2. 8 9. He comes to render vengeance on them that obey not the Gospell Rom. â— 10. The Lord shall judge the secrets of all hearts by my Gospell That is where ever the Gospell comes for they that have no law having no law shall not by judged by it But men that have had the Gospell shall be judged by it and therefore are bound to obedience thereunto The serious consideration of which one truth is enough to draw all 〈…〉 from the power of unbelief especially they that say I cannot or ought not believe For the reason why meâ— do not come is 1. They think the Gospell concerns not them what doth the Lord say to me come so vile and sinfull yes that he doth if there was no such law there could be no transgression or condemnation 2. They think they shall presume No if conscience be bound to it 't is no prefumption to keep a Sabbath aright or to receive Christ as God offers him Oh this quiets conscience 3. The Lord layes his chain on the most tender place of conscience as it will answer it at the great day or will have any peace take heed you refuse not so great salvation 4. 'T is a chain not of bondage but of liberty and mercy and love Come and receive not a Kingdome but Christ Peace pardon and grace freely which may draw the heart as it will at the great and last day Come ye blessed take a Kingdome take a Christ prepared for you from before the foundation of the world Oh that this might sound in your eares This is the first and chiefest without this all your obedience is hypocrisie and abominable but this will please and then all poor obedience shall please Secondly Love unto the whole will of Christ especially to that part of it to love those that be the members of Christ. Some Christians they believe and feeling a heart so crosse to Christ and the will of God think they are from under the government of God and Christ so from under the grace of Christ and the argument is strong if true but why not under his government because they find daily a spirit so crosse to the will of Christ and hence under continuall fears of condemnation Oh but consider hast thou no love to the will of Christ and law of God for if any believe this is found in him if so then under Christs Government Rom. 8. 2. The Law of the spirit of life hath made me free What is that Law See Chap. 7. 23 24. Spirit of delight in the Law in the inner man and mourning for contrary captivity Know therefore though you cannot do all yet love the whole will of God and mourn where you do not and then say Now no condemnation Do not say 'T is impossible Oh here is mens wo and tryall of subjection to Christs will How do you love it love his Sabbaths and Ordinances because of his love to you How do's this constrain you In particular Love the people of God that is his speciall commandment 1 Iohn 3. 23. Iohn 13. 34. But now the want hereof or the contrary hereto As when a man shall become 1. A Distaster 2. A Contemner 3. A Censurer and whisperer 4. A Sooffer 5. If met on a Bridge an opposer of the Truths or servants of God This is that which kindles wrath and wherein the inward venome of hypocrisie appears There 's many duties neglected and not that spirit of prayer and holy conferences amongst Christians yet do you keep love to them that what you cannot do your selves yet you love others that can do it and account it your blessednesse to be like them and daily mourn under your neglects that in every thing the Gospel is not adorned by you on the other side although you have many duties Sabbaths and good acts yet if not love all is vile I fear 't is not mens joy sweetnesse delight to hear the least good word that falls from a good mans lips but rather the truths and things of God despised if so then look for
wo. And for 〈…〉 Christ their lives not desired their deaths not lamented but you know how to contend and are carelesse though the Gospell and God be slandered you 〈◊〉 of the Lords yoke It was one mans speech that the great sin of this Countrey will be hatred of the Saints a scornful contempt of them It will come by degrees first distaste and then censure and contemne Oâ— but if herein you submit herein Christ is honoured and Gospell glorified in love and amiablenesse Not in a rigorous austerity of spirit and diabolicall censoriousnesse but in word and deed countenance and gesture comforting and encouraging one another When David would know what to do Truly saith he my goodnesse extends not to thee but to the Saints in whom is all my delight Oh therefore submit here this conscience calls for and Christ must have To conclude with a word for help here Means 1. Look to Gods Ordinances not as they be in themselves but as appointed of God to communicate an almighty power of spirit to them that wait on the Lord in them An almighty power must overcome and go on Conquering and to Conquer How shall we have this by Gods Ordinances Some more principall as Word and Sacraments some lesse How shall we partake of this power in them Look not on them in themselves but as appointed and sanctified and so as glorious And there pray and wait and look for the power nay believe you shall receive this power As the 〈◊〉 of Iordan to Naâ—man How did they cleanse Whe◠〈◊〉 lookt upon them without the command and 〈◊〉 he despised theâ— and so found not the benefit of them but afterwards hee found the benefit of them when he washed seven times in attendance to the appointment of God Brethren it is but go and wash here 1 Cor. 10. 5. Means 2. Know your disobedience the breadth of it Some things Christians see and pray against them and then all is well but see the breadth of evill in your disobedience There is something that doth oppose God in every lawfull thing in whole or in part for flesh is in it or else you are blinded if you see it not Oh therefore feel the breadth of evill in it that being sensible of and humbled under and striving against your continuall disobedience every thought may be brought into subjection and obedience to Christ. OF INEFFECTVALL HEARING JOHN 5. 37. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time nor seen his shape FRom the 31. Vers. to the end of this Chapter Our Saviour proves that he was the Messiah to come from four testimonies 1. From the testimony of Iohn the first yet the least yet very strong and full vers 32 33. 2. From the testimony of his works greater than that of Iohn vers 36. 3. From the testimony of the Father by his voice from heaven vers 37. 4. From the voice of the Scriptures the highest of all and surer than a voice from heaven 2 Pet. 1. 19. vers 39 46. Now these words are annexed to the third testimony which I told you is the voyce of God from heaven set down Mat. 3. 17. For this Testimony of the Father â—s not the inward testimony of the Spirit only Because Christ speaks of publick and evident testimonies in this place noâ— is it meant of the testimony of the Father in the Scripture for that is a distinct testimony and â—â—ough the Father doth testifie of Christ in the Scriptures yet 't is not as his testimony no more than the testimony of Iohn and of his works whereby the Father did testifie also Nor is it probable that our Saviour would at this time omit that famous testimony of the Father at his Baptism which if it be not here is no where in this Chapter Beside how is this testimony the Fathers more than the Spirits but then being called his Son he did evidently declare himself to be the Father that spake Lastly the Spirits testimony is spoken of as the testimony of Moses and the Prophets Vers. 46 47. For had ye believed Moses ye would have believed me for he wâ—ote of me vers 47. For if ye beleeve not his writings how shall ye believe my words Now our Saviour in these words answers an Objection which the Jewes ever conceited of their own knowledge might make We know the Father as well as you and yet we know no such testimony that he gives Christ answers You do not know him for the certain knowledge of a thing is either by seeing or hearing now you never saw him nor heard him you have therefore no acquaintance with him So that the words contain 1. Christs fearfull accusation of the Jews to be ignorant of God 2. The aggravation and extent of it at no time i. e. not only at Baptism but at no other time in any Ministery or in any Scripture c. Quest. 1. What is it not to see his shape nor hear his voice Answ. Some think they are metaphorical speeches to expresse their ignorance of God Now though this be the scope and the general truth yet I conceive the Lord speaking particularly and knowing what he spake intends something particularly and it is a rule never to flie to metaphors where there can be a plain sense given There is therefore two degrees of true knowledge of God in this life or 't is attained unto by a double means 1. By hearing of him for hence our faith comes by the Word 2. By hearing thus from him the mind also comes to have a true Idea of God as he reveals himself in the Word and Means by the Spirit Iob 42. 5. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear but now mine eye seeth thee and this is the shape here spoken of not bodily and carnall Now Christ doth professe that they did want both Carnal and unregenerate hearts neither hear Gods voyce nor have a right Idea of God in their minds but become vain in their minds though they have means of knowing and their foolish hearts are darkned the wiser they be the more foolish they grow 2. At no time i. e. neither at baptism nor else in any mans Ministery nor in any of the Scriptures which you read and where the Lord speaks 3. But did they not hear the voice of God at Christs baptism and at the Mount when Christ preach't when the Scriptures were opened every Lords day and at other times amongst them Answ. No they never heard it It 's a strange thing that such men that read heard preach'd remembred the Scriptures and could tell you mysteries in titles never heard the voice of God and yet it is most true Observat. That many men may a long time together know and hear the Word of God written and spoken yet never hear the Lord speaking that Word no not so much as one word tittle or syllable no not so much at once at any time This was the estate of
and he doth give thee some victory Beloved a Christian may decay in the power of the grace of Christ which he hath received from the Word and voice of God in the Word and he may decay and grow to a very low estate yet he shall find this the Word of the Lord hath come with power to him it will recover his soul again and so the efficacy of the Word is eternall Psalm 72. it s said of Christ that his People shall fear him so long as Sun and Moon shall endure that is continually all their life-time It may be said there be many that find decay of their service and obedience and lose their fear of the Lord and their dread and their humble walking before him He shall come as the rain on the mowen grasse many times a Christian hath his flourishing time as the grasse but when the grasse is mowen it is as a dry chip so the soul it may grow dry as dry as a chip Now where is your sap and savour but I tell you if you belong to the Lord Jesus the rain it will fall again the Word of God set on by the Spirit of Christ it shall fall upon you as the rain on the mowen grasse and you know that it recovers little by little and puts on a green coat again Here is the eternal love of the Lord Jesus to his People and thus the eternal efficacy of the word does continue 3. Vse is of exhortation Oh Brethren and beloved in the Lord Jesus may a Christian hear the Word of God spoken and yet never hear God speak may he hear it externally and not internally then rest not in externall hearing and with some little movings and affections and stirrings of the Word of Gods grace in hearing Let not the Word be to you as the sound of many waters and a noise no efficacy of the Word that do remain on your soules Brethren and beloved in Christ I lay my finger on the sore in these times Oh the contempt of the Gospel of Christ though I believe it hath its efficacy in the heart of the Elect that is the thing that I presse never be content with external hearing though thou mayest have some affection and know new things unlesse thou find the Lord speaking with an eternall efficacy to thy soul. I conceive two things are to be done that the word may come with an everlasting efficacy although something is to be done by Ministers that is to preach truth and Gospel-truth fetch 't from heaven with many prayers soaked truth with many tears Ye shall know the truth that truth shal make you free Convicting truth We preach saith the Apostle in the demonstration of the Spirit The Spirit of God when he commeth he convinceth the world of sin Let Ministes do so Preach convincing truth and Gospel-truth fetch'd from heaven and bathed in tears Oh brethren let the fire burn clear let there not be more smoak than fire it will never come with power then convincing Gospel-truth set on by the demonstration of the Spirit of the Lord and this will set a Christian at liberty there is never such a Sermon that the faithful ones of God preach to you if it come not with a power to loosen you and call you home it comes with a power to blind you it is an ax at the root of the Trees but I leave this What means ought the people to use that the Word of God may come with efficacy Them that are in their unregenerate estate the Lord only knows how to work on their hearts they must come to the outward means I speak to the Saints of God I leave others to the infinite mercy of the Lord It is not in him that willeth or runneth but in the Lord that sheweth mercy In the use of means 1. Means Do not only see thy infirmities and weaknesses but pray to God to give thee a heart bleeding under the sense of thy many infirmities Many times men slight them and are not sensible of them I do not say wickednesses and wilfulnesses but thy infirmities and weaknesses get a heart mourning under them A Christian is made up of infirmities and weaknesses a man would not think there is that in another which he knows by himself Oh brethren labour for a broken heart in the sense of your many infirmities and weaknesses darknesse and enmity vanity and unsavourinesse the Lord will have his time to speak to such a soul. Break up the fallow ground of your hearts lest my wrath break out with fire the Lord hath promised to dwell with the poor and contrite Look as it was with our Saviour Christ they brought the sick and the lame ones to him and vertue went out from Christ to heal them all Bring thy sick and blind heart to Christ and vertue shall go forth from Christ to heal it 2. Draw near to God in the Word by looking on it as God speaking to thee We are far from God and therefore we cannot hear him draw near to him when you come to the external Word when you come to hear the Word hear it as the voyce of God You heard the Word as the Word of God which you felt in you I do not speak that the soul should take every thing that Ministers speak as the Word of God but that which is the Word of God take it as God speaking I am not able to expresse the infinite unknown sweetnesse and mercy and presence of God that you shall find thus comming I know it is a common truth but I am not ashamed to tell you I have not for many a year understood this truth and I see but little of it yet ye have heard of it but ye do not understand what it is to hear God speaking When God hath an intent to harden a mans heart and to damn him either he shall have a prejudice against the man or else if he hath not a prejudice against the man there is a secret loathing of the truth in regard of the commands of it and that is all and the Lord he hardens and blinds and prepares for eternall ruin all the men in the world by this means that live under the means When the Lord spake to Samuel Samuel heard a voyce but he heard it not as spoken by God but when he took Elies counsel and saw it was the Lord that spoke now he listens to the voice of the Lord and now the Lord opens all his mind to him 3. Do not trust to the external word It is a heaven on earth to hear the word exalted a glorious thing to hear the word of God as Gods word but trust to the free grace of God in it and the Spirit of God in Christ to set on that Word When they brought the lame and blind and halt to Christ they looked for the Word and the Power of it Speak the Word Lord and thy servants shall be whole so